Large-scale experimental study of thermal performance of building-integrated photovoltaic façade in an enclosure fire

Building-Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) façades play a significant role in enhancing the renewable energy performance and sustainability of modern buildings. However, fire incidents are becoming increasingly common in BIPV systems, yet little is known about the fire performance of BIPV façade. In this work, a total of 16 large-scale fire tests were conducted to investigate the thermal breakage and fallout of BIPV façade in a compartment fire, with a dimension of 1400 × 1400 × 1800 mm3. Cadmium telluride and monocrystalline silicon BIPV curtain wall components were selected for this study, with traditional glass included for comparison. Significant differences were observed between PV façade and traditional glass façade, with the former exhibiting self-sustained burning, even after the fire extinction. The types of PV panels significantly impact the breakage and fallout times and behavior, as the new openings caused by PV panel fallout alter the stable ventilation condition and induce more flame ejection, resulting in a significant heat flux compared to control cases without samples. Among the tested configurations, double-glazed PV panels with tempered glass demonstrated the best fire performance and are therefore recommended for BIPV façade design. The experimental results would provide important references for the fire safety design of emerging BIPV high-rise buildings.